He was given a three-year community rehabilitation order with a condition he attended the sex offender's treatment programme and was also ordered to register as a sex offender for five years.

At Wolverhampton Crown Court, Judge Michael Challinor told Birch he accepted he looked at the pictures "out of curiosity rather than a prurient interest in child pornography.

"I accept those who know you will know you are not a dangerous offender," he added.

Julian Elcock, prosecuting, told the court that police officers went to the home of Birch and seized two computors and a CD. They discovered he had downloaded 175 indecent images of which just two were of the worst level.

Mr Elcock stressed to the court that Birch - a man of previous good character - was not part of the ring that led to the police investigation.

Richard Bond, defending, said Birch had been given the CD by a friend and he downloaded them to his computer.

"He was tempted to look at the images," said Mr Bond. "There is no suggestion he has ever come into contact with children or acted with them in an inappropriate way."